Is He or Isn't He?
by livingdeadgirl
Summary: It's the best question to ask when there's nothing better to do. Boomer and the others question Shatterstar's sexuality.::X-Force Fic::


Title: Is He or Isn't He?

Rating: PG-13

Genre: Humor

Summary: It's the best question to ask when there's nothing better to do.

Disclaimer: I do not own Shatterstar nor any other X-Force character - they all belong to the big Marvel - even if they are being mistreated…

Author's Note: All my comic nostalgia brought on this Muse that would not depart. That and I just felt like a laugh. No one'll probably get this but me, considering few people read Marvel in the 90s save BIG comic-geeks like yours truly, and even when they did, most of them weren't into X-Force - but still…I just loved this idea too much not to write. If you get real curious, you can always look facts up about the book and team members, especially Shatterstar, considering he's the focus of this fic. Set before Issue 38.

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"So what do you think, Terry?"

"What do ye mean?"

"Oh come on, Irish, don't act like you haven't been listenin' in on our conversation!" Tabitha snorted, as she pushed up her big green shades to rest atop her head and rolled her blue eyes.

"What? I really haven't been! I've been reading me book…" Theresa insisted, lifting her copy of 'Moby Dick' for Tabitha's view.

Tabitha shook her head disbelieving and ran a hand through her short, curly blonde hair. She looked across the card table where she sat opposite her teammate, James Proudstar, and asked pointedly, "You believe her?"

"Not for a second." He chuckled, his gaze wandering over Terry and enjoying the view. He felt a smile worm its way on to his face as he moved his seat another few inches closer to her armchair, his hands linked behind his head.

"Hey now, y'all be nice," Sam Guthrie, warned as he entered the room. He was the oft-time team leader of this merry band of mutants who called themselves X-Force, though he sometimes felt as if he was running a zoo more than a team.

His southern accent had come out unnecessarily thick due to the fact that he hadn't spoken almost all day, having spent most of it running around Camp Verde, fixing this and tweaking that.

The former Arizona Apache Reservation had been shaping up into a pretty decent base of operations. It had taken a lot of hard work on everyone's part though, most particularly his own. But he couldn't take credit away from James, who had suggested they set camp here in the first place. Nor from Cable and Domino, who had been putting in a lot of work alongside him today.

As if on cue, Domino, who was considered something of a mother hen to the team, walked in behind Sam, looking just as haggard, "Hey Sam, you wandered off."

"Yeah, 'pologize for that, ma'am. But this blasted heat just got on my last nerve. This is the only place with any kinda air…"

"Certainly is cooler in here," she agreed, bristling slightly at the 'ma'am'. The remark was Sam's way of being polite, but it made her feel old. She chose to ignore it, "Anyway, that's fine, Sam. Cable said we were done for the day anyway. He and I are going into town now to pick up supplies…as well as pizza."

A roar of approval moved through the room as Sam took a seat between Tabitha and James. Everyone began shouting out toppings they wanted and Dom took a few notes.

Sam watched everyone's animated faces, their excited voices and grinned, enjoying the rest and the easy camaraderie that he found in the Rec Room. He was reminded swiftly of his time spent with his former team the New Mutants and was struck by an odd pang. He couldn't say it was sorrow nor hurt, but it certainly made him squirm in his seat.

Domino finished taking their orders and left to go find Cable and hit the road. Sam kissed Tabitha's cheek and took her hand in his own, rubbing her knuckles, "So what've ya'll been talkin' 'bout? An' where are Ric 'n Star?"

"Ric's off in his room. He's been blasting Beastie Boys for the past hour, so lord only knows what he's up to. I don't know where Star is, but actually, that's just who we've _been_ talkin' about, Mason Dixon," Tabitha grinned impishly, passing a look with James, who laughed again, shaking his head.

Terry rolled her eyes but Sam sat up, "Oh yeah? What 'bout him?"

"I assure ye, Sam, ye don't want to know…"

"Sure ah do," He persisted, "What about 'im?"

Tabitha looked eager as she edged closer to him, voice lowered, "Sam, do you think Shatty is…you know?"

Sam's eyebrow knitted together, confused, "I don't follow."

"Oh come on…you know…"

"No, ah really don't...make some sense, girl…"

"You're going to have to be direct with Sam, Boom. He never was the one to take a hint."

"Okay, okay…" Tabitha leaned even closer, whispering, "Do you think Shatterstar is…you know…gay?"

"Gay?" Sam repeated, still not catching on and then his blue eyes grew unbelievably large, "Do ya mean ya think he's a-"

Tabitha hissed at him to be quiet.

"Well excuse me for acting surprised, but this is big news!"

"It's not news, Sam! Tabitha and Jimmy have merely been theorizing it for the past hour…"

"Ah ha! I knew you were listenin' in, Terry!"

"Well how could I not be? Ye two have been doin' nae good o' job keepin' your voices down." She muttered, readjusting her copy of 'Moby Dick' one more time then merely closing the book and tossing it aside, knowing it was pointless to continue an attempt to read it.

Sam looked from Tabitha to Jimmy, then back again, his eyes still wide as he kept his voice down, "Well, ah mean - wow. What brought this on? Why do ya'll think this?"

"I personally don't think it," Warpath muttered, looking uncomfortable, "I mean…all that much. I have to admit that Boomer has made some valid points in the case for him being…you know."

"Wait, wait…okay, so let me get this straight," Sam rubbed the bridge of his nose, "Shatterstar didn't announce he was gay or anyting. You and Tabitha have just been discussing the possibility of it while Terry sat here reading?"

"Yeah, we were bored. And there's nothing better to do."

"Nothing better to do then wonder if Shatterstar is," Sam snorted in exasperation, "to play a game of is he or isn't he?"

"It's not a game, it's a serious question." Tabitha said stiffly, "So come on, what do you think?"

"Well ah…ah don't know…"

"Oh come on, Sam, have you ever seen him show interest in a girl?"

"Well…no…but-"

"And when girls are interested in him, he's completely oblivious to it. I mean look at when we had Feral. Excuse the expression, but she certainly pranced around him like a cat in heat, and he didn't even say word one to her. Even Terry-"

"Hold on, _you_ liked Shatterstar?" Jimmy turned to the redhead shocked and slightly hurt.

Terry turned as red as her hair, eyes downcast, "Well I mean when I first got here I thought he was…interesting," she looked at Tabitha, "And I was nae th' only one."

Tabitha looked at Sam reluctantly, biting her bottom lip. She and Sam had just admitted their feelings for each other, making their tentative relationship more solid but this was still not a good thing to announce.

But fair was fair, and even though Terry and Jimmy were not in a relationship, nor had they made any moves towards one, she knew how Jimmy felt about Terry. Terry knew it too and what Boomer had just said had hit a nerve with him. For what it was worth, Terry did not like to see Jimmy upset.

Tabitha didn't either.

So, fair was fair, "Yeah, okay. I'll admit that when I first met him, he was a cutie, but that was only a brief five-minute thing and, I mean, you know, whatever. The point is, he's a looker - I mean he's been called 'pretty boy' more than once and yet he hasn't had one girl to call his own-"

"Yeah but Shatty just doesn't strike me as that type, Boom. He's almost sorta…I dunno, asexual or something. Certainly more _that_ than gay, for the love a…I mean he's a warrior - born and bred. He's from another dimension fer cryin' out loud! Like - an alien and I doubt in the Mojoverse there was much need fer th' ladies. He's always been focused on the battles, fighting, his swords and body...things like that-"

"Yeah, I pointed that out to her," James chipped in, "He always told me he liked focusing on things he could control. More to the point, himself. I think he's kinda too self-centered to be thinking about someone else past himself..."

"Okay, maybe when he first got here, but not so much now. I mean now he spends at least like, half his time watching television-"

Terry spoke up again, "Tabitha, he does that to learn. Ye know that. He's tryin' t' acclimate himself to our society. An' considerin' where he came from, he's been findin' it to be his best resource."

"I wasn't finished, Terry, okay - so he spends a lot of time working out, building muscle, playing with his swords, battling, watching television…yada, yada but there's also only one other thing he does and you all know what that is!"

"Well actually ah don't," Sam mumbled, "Truth be told I never have actually spent much time wit' Star…"

"No, but someone else has," Jimmy sighed, "Rictor."

"Oh yeah, forgot they're like, best friends, aren't they?"

"Best friends…or something more?" Boomer asked.

This caused a lot of commotion to burst out as everyone made disgruntled, disbelieving noises, Sam's voice came out as the strongest and clearest, "Ah come on, Tabitha! They're just friends and 'sides, ya know Ric, he's _certainly_ not gay. I mean he and Rahne were together for quite'a time and even you and he…"

Sam frowned as he remembered this fact and so did Tabitha, who countered, "Yeah. Maybe. But I never questioned if Ric was, you know, I'm questioning whether or not Shatty is! I mean his attachment to Ric is like…ya know…questionable."

"This is the part where she had me stumped when you all came in, " Jimmy confessed, "I'll admit I've seen them together and it has been…"

"Ah come on, ya'll are pullin' my leg."

"Hmm, ye know, it sort of hit me too when Tabitha mentioned it," Terry mumbled, "I've heard them talkin' before and did ye know that Star learned Spanish. Now why would he be doing that?"

"_I'll_ tell you why, 'cause that way he and Ric can talk in Spanish. It can be like, they're own little private language thing. Maybe Ric doesn't see it as something but, I mean, when I was tryin' to catch Sam's eye I tried to learn all 'bout stuff he liked and places where he came from."

"Did you?" Sam asked, touched. He brought Tabitha's hand up to his mouth and kissed it, making her cheeks blossom pink. She wiggled in her seat happily, "Um…well yeah. Not to mention it did help prepare me for meeting your mother."

"She loves ya, ya know, she told me that," Sam assured her then noted Jimmy rolling his eyes and sighed, "Still, back on topic. So Shatty learned Spanish so he and Ric could…I don't know, talk private. So what? It's not that uncommon. And they are friends…"

Jimmy agreed, "Yeah, true, friends. I mean, Ric's even taken Star out to a couple clubs. Probably to try and get ladies."

"Maybe for him, but not for Star," Tabitha argued, "From what I heard, Star just sort of sulks around while Ric goes off and dances. He doesn't even try to get chicks and when they come to him he usually goes in the other direction. Ric says it's been something of a problem…"

"So he has a hard time getting a girl. That doesn't mean he's gay-"

"But that's the whole point, he's not _trying_ to get a girl. He has no interest in that but he _does_ have enough interest in Ric to go with him to clubs, to learn Spanish for him…I mean, he's always spending time with him and stuff. I think he is…you know…and what's more, I think he has the waaaay hots for Julio!"

"Now yer just talkin' nonsense!" Sam laughed.

"Oh yeah? How so? I just called him Julio now, do I _ever_ call him that? No, I call him Ric or Rictor - I'm not the only one. You, Terry, Jimmy, Domino, Cable, Bobby when he was…here…none of us call him by his first name unless there's some kind of emergency or we're shocked into it or something. But Shatty? He calls him that in this almost…reverent way…"

"Ye didnea want't say lovin' way?"

"No, I did, just thought I'd tip-toe around it but, yeah, lovin'. He likes him like that, I swear, that's why I think he's…you know."

"Yeah but it's still 'thinks' isn't it, Boom. Ya ain't got no real proof and it's crazy ta think-"

"I got the simple proof if you want that!" She insisted and began ticking them off on her fingers, "Obsessed with being in shape, obsessed with long swords (and do I even have to mention how sexually symbolic _that_ could be taken?), obsessed with being all athletic-gymnastic showy in fights with the flips and flashiness and then there's his long hair-"

"If we're going on long hair, half the people who wear an 'X' are gay. Not to mention movie stars, rock stars-"

Tabitha shook her head, "Yeah, but Shatty has like, a _collection_, of hair care products."

Jimmy, who had been sneaking longing looks at Terry, re-entered the conversation, "I told you he was self-centered. He likes to look good, cares about his body - hell, maybe that's not self-centered so much as it's being healthy…"

"Yeah, but what straight guy obsesses about that though?!" Tabitha protested, "I mean a straight guy into cleanliness? Only Felix from 'The Odd Couple', my friends, and that's was a TV show, a fantasy. Most guys are messy slobs. I mean, I've seen your room, Jimmy and I've seen Sam's - mess city…"

Terry shook her head, "That's a stereotypical comment. There's nothing wrong with being organized. Star is just like that-"

Sam too, shot this down, "Ah don't think you know enough about him to really question it, Boom. Ah mean, ah say ah don't spend much time with him and you don't either, so neither of us is in a position to say if he is or isn't. We can speculate on it 'till the cows come home but-"

Tabitha was growing more frustrated as her theory began to dissolve when Julio Esteban Richter, the seismic-wave mutant more commonly known as Rictor, entered, "Buenos noches, mi amigos! I was in my room jamming out and now I'm starving. We got any food around here?"

"Dom and Cable are getting us pizza now." Terry beamed.

"Si? What toppings?"

"Let's see," Jimmy rubbed his chin, noting with a frown that Tabitha had gotten up from her seat and was approaching Ric, "I think we're getting a pepperoni, a green peppers and onion, and a mushroom combo…and maybe one plain cheese."

"Ah, I would have loved one with some jalepano peppers. Something spicy." Ric muttered when Tabitha blurted to his face, "So, what's up, Ric, is Shatty gay or what?"

"Tabitha!" Everyone chorused in horror.

"What?!"

"Well so much for keepin' muh voice down," Sam muttered, a hand to his face in embarrassment at his girlfriend's actions.

"Tabitha, there's sucha thin' as tact!"

"What's tact?" Tabitha frowned at Terry, "We've been battin' around this question forever and now I'm just going straight to the source for the answer. Urm…or rather the thing closest to the source. I mean, that's what Sam said, right? He and I aren't close enough to Star to say if he is or isn't, but Ric is so he'd know. So? Out with it, Ric, you're his best friend, you'd know, right?"

"Know what?" Ric asked, arms crossed and eyes narrowed.

"D'oy," Tabitha mimicked his stance as she faced him, "If Shatterstar is - ya know…"

"No, I _don't_ know," he scowled, "You asked if he was gay, and by that I'm guessing you mean-"

"Shh, shh!" Tabitha waved her hands and looked around apprehensively. She didn't really care that Ric knew, she'd been the one to bringing it to him in the first place. But she still didn't want Shatterstar to know he was being discussed.

Or even worse, for Cable and Domino to show up and over hear. She could all ready see their time-traveling cyborg leader giving her a lecture on not questioning her teammate's sexuality or something. The idea made her feel sick.

She looked at Ric, "Yeah, yeah, you got it…so? Is he or isn't he?"

"I imagine not. He IS married."

"MARRIED?!" The whole room burst out. Again a commotion began as Tabitha, Sam, Jimmy, and Terry all began talking at once.

Tabitha's cry was most prevalent to Ric's ears, "You didn't tell us he was married!"

"You didn't ask."

"Oh come on!" She gasped, "Don't play that game! You held out on us! That's primo gossip you had. Do you know what gossip's for? It's for…gossiping about! So spill, I want to know all about _Mrs_. Shatterstar."

"Not much to tell. He told me about her a couple months ago. Her name is Windsong-"

"Psh," She scoffed, "Sounds like a stripper name to me."

"Actually you're not that far off the mark. She was - mmm - a _different_ kind of entertainment in the Mojoverse."

"Figures."

"Star said she was a real looker but - hm - um - well…"

"Well, what?" Tabitha pushed.

"Well, see, they never _actually_ met."

"What?!"

"Yeah, see, Star told me they were sort of assigned to one another - good genetic material and all that - eventually they would have been expected to have kids, or rather, as Star put it, 'produce future arena game warrior stock'."

"Gross!"

Terry frowned, "Well then that nay answered our question, did it?"

"Nope. He could still totally be in the pink."

"Aw, come on, Tab. Don't say stuff like that 'bout him, all right? He is mi mejor amigo."

"Can we help it if we're curious?"

"Actually we weren't at all curious, Boom, you're the one who brought it up and keeps debating it," Jimmy pointed out.

Tabitha sniffed, "So what? Besides, if anyone should have questioned this, it should have been you," she poked at Ric's chest with one finger, "He has a mad-on for you, after all. It's always 'Julio this' and 'Julio that'."

Sam suddenly burst into a bizarre coughing fit and Terry hid her hand behind her mouth to try and stifle her giggles. Jimmy didn't even bother, chuckling lowly.

"Hey now, that's not funny!"

Tabitha laughed dryly, "Really? Then why're we all chuckling under out breath?"

Rictor frowned, his eyes narrowed at her, "I'm warning you, mijita…"

"What?!" She growled in irritation, "I'm just telling you the truth. I mean, you said yourself his 'marriage' to Windsong is nothing more than a pre-arranged package deal and when you look at the facts, Shatterstar is most likely-"

"I'm most likely what?"

Everyone froze in guilt, all the laughter dying. Tabitha's mouth dropped open slightly, an accusing finger she had raised to point at Rictor fell limp as she gasped. She was caught!

The redheaded, other dimensional warrior known only as Shatterstar strutted into the room. Amazingly he was not clad in his normal battle gear, instead wearing a simple white shirt and slacks. The deep reddish black star shaped mark over his right eye stood out more without his face gear as did his steel blue eyes.

His face, however, was as hard to read as ever, "I have finished learning to play chess with the Professor. After defeating him three times he suggested I find more challenging ways to entertain myself. I heard raised voices, and now my name has been mentioned."

His eyes glinted on Tabitha and she swallowed. She had to think fast, "I - I was um…just about to say Shatterstar is most likely - uh - too busy to - um - join our conversation," _Yeah, that's it Tab! Keep goin' girl and you can save your cute, skinny butt,_ her thoughts urged. "Here. You know. We were all just talking about…the old days. Yeah, you know, reminiscing…boring stuff really."

Rictor gave her a sarcastic smile. So she'd managed to weasel her way out of a confession. Well he would see to it she was still left with something of a reprimand, "Yeah, they were talking about Tabitha's old wardrobe when I came in. How she used to call herself 'Boom Boom' and wore banana yellow shoes, hot pink t-shirts, and neon green overall jumpsuits…"

Tabitha's cheeks flamed scarlet and she scowled, "Yeah, well, we were just about to get to when _you_ had a mullet!"

"And on that note, I'll take my leave." Ric retorted swiftly, trying not to blush himself. He had been such a stupid 80s kid. He turned to his friend with an easy grin, "Come on, Star, we can find better things to do…"

Shatterstar's normally passive face seemed to take on a rather pleased light at Rictor's words as the two exited. Once she was sure they were out of earshot, Tabitha let out a hiss of breath and rolled her eyes, answering Rictor's last comment, "Yeah, like each other…"

"Aw why don't you pipe down, girl! They're friends and that's all they are. That's that!"

"Yeah, well if he is…you know…I just wonder if Rictor will follow suit."

"Hmm," Jimmy mumbled, he'd picked up Terry's copy of 'Moby Dick' and was flipping through it, "Well, if you want my opinion…I think they'd make a cute couple."

"JIMMY!" Terry burst out and everyone collapsed into laughter again. Even Tabitha. Soon enough Sam had pulled out Monopoly and the mood of the room seemed even more like the old days of the New Mutants than ever before.

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Even at night, the Arizona air felt as hot as a dog's breath. Rictor ran a hand through his long brown locks and looked up at the full moon, smirking slightly as he turned and saw Shatterstar right behind him.

"Julio, where are we going?"

"Mm? Oh I dunno, man, I was thinking maybe we could go out and grab a bite to eat. Cable and Dom are supposed to bring back pizza but I'm not in the mood. 'Sides, pizza's so much better the next morning for breakfast. Cold 'n congealed, " he kissed his fingers, "Mwa! It's delicious!"

"If you say so." Star countered easily, his hands wandering into his pockets as he kicked at the ground.

It was totally unlike Star and yet so endearing that Julio couldn't help but feel a genuine smile take his face. But for some reason, Tabitha's words kept rebounding through his head. He kept thinking over the things she had said and as he looked at Star he couldn't help but wonder…

It was crazy though, Star was one of those macho warrior guys, he wasn't…

__

No, maybe he isn't gay exactly, his treacherous thoughts whispered, _but maybe he is attracted to you. That's what you're worried about. That's what Tabitha said that struck you. His attachment to you._

But Star highly emotional attachment wasn't necessarily his fault. Rictor was the only one on the team who'd offered Star some help, the only one he felt he could turn to. And he wasn't of this western culture, he couldn't possibly know…

Still…

Rictor's hands found their way into his own jeans as he noticed Star had walked ahead of him to open the hidden door to their vehicle port. He could see a couple of motorcycles, cars, even the P.A.C.R.A.T.

"Which vehicle shall we be taking?"

"Hmm? Oh, mm, I guess the blue sedan. It's the least conspicuous and looks like Cable and Dom took the jeep."

"Very well," Star said and quickly stood next to the passenger side door. Rictor fished out the keys from another hidden compartment in the port and unlocked the driver's side, climbing in and unlocking Star's door.

Once they were both seated and had their belts on, Rictor started the drive out. His mind was still twirling over Tabitha's words and his own thoughts and he kept sneaking peeks at Shatterstar, squinting slightly, one eyebrow raised.

Star, as was his nature, was entirely oblivious to it.

"You know, Julio, it is high past time I learned to drive one of these. I have shown myself proficient with a motorcycle. I do not see how this four-wheeled contraption could be any more difficult, and you know I am highly adept when it comes to mechanics and other electrical equipment."

"Yeah…"

"So where are we going to eat?"

"I dunno. Maybe we can find a good place in town that makes burritos. I could go for one. Especially with extra peppers and - look," Rictor sighed and shook his head. He couldn't believe he was going to ask this, "Another reason I wanted to take the car was so you and I could talk."

"Oh?"

"Yeeeaaaaaaahhh, um…listen," He ran a hand through his hair again, nervous. His hands gripped the wheel, moving on the leather and he realized his palms were damp, "Star, I know you are married to Windsong and…you thought she was hot, right?"

"Hot?"

"You know, attractive."

"She was pleasing to the eye, yes."

"Hmm…well…I mean, do you think you could've…um…you know…loved her?"

"Why are you asking me this, Julio?"

God, the way he said his name sometimes…

"Just…just curious."

"I honestly do not know. I do not believe so. Romance is never intended on my world. The entire existence there revolves around warfare, there is no room for emotional amenities."

"Okay," Rictor frowned, this was the wrong way to go about asking what he wanted to know but he still plodded on, "But…I mean, life here isn't like that. So do you think here you could…"

"I do not see why not, but then…Za's Vid."

Rictor was used to Star's bizarre way of cursing but still couldn't help a chuckle from escaping as his friend continued, "These are but strange questions you are asking me, Julio. I do not know what has possessed you to ask them, but-"

"Okay, okay, look I'll just…I'll get to the point, all right." Rictor swallowed, his voice sounding far away to his ears as he asked, "Star, are you gay?"

Star frowned, his eyes narrowed as he repeated, "Am I gay?"

"Yes."

"Well of course I am."

Julio froze, eyes wide, his heart in his throat.

"Why would I not be happy? You and I are going out to eat and I have learned to play chess. I'm very gay indeed."

Rictor looked at him, stunned, then began laughing hysterically. Star looked truly perplexed, "What? I do not understand what I said that was so amusing. Did I use the connotation wrong?"

"No, no…you…you did fine." Rictor breathed and wiped at his eyes, chuckling now and then as they continued their drive. A voice deep in Rictor's mind told him he should explain what the other meaning for 'gay' is as well as probe deeper into Star's feelings but he quickly squashed the voice.

It wasn't something he needed to know…at least…not right now.

Now all he wanted to do was spend time with his friend. His very best friend.


End file.
